GB Patch's "Our Life" series is well-known and loved within the visual novel community for not only its stunningly nostalgic, warm storytelling but also its ultra customization when it comes to the MC and how players experience their story. When starting the game, you get to choose your MC’s name, appearance, clothing preferences, and identity which can all be changed however you like as they grow older. And, as the game goes on, you can use various choice-based interactions shape your personality, feelings, and preferences.
This personalization goes a step further with the Voiced Name feature which, in Beginnings & Always, features 600 names that the game's characters will sometimes audibly refer to the MC with.
On August 23rd, GB Patch released a Patreon update explaining how this feature will grow with the next installment, Now & Forever.
Voiced Names will be included in the in-development game and eager fans will be able to request names of their choice by supporting the upcoming campaign on Kickstarter. (Update: OMG this baby was fully AND stretch funded in 1 hour!)
Obviously, not ever single person will be able to get a custom voiced name, but the devs have come up with a bit of a solution for that which still maintains the intimacy of the OL series: nicknames!
One unique feature in N&F is the ability for the MC to have both a given name and a nickname, the latter of which can be customized by way of choosing who uses that nickname. You can even have a special nickname that's exclusively for your closest friend and/or partner. How sweet is that?? 🥰
Just like normal names, you can type in a custom nickname or choose from a series of preset voiced nicknames. You won't be able to back the Kickstarter and choose your own nicknames with this feature; rather, around 30 (or more) nicknames will be chosen by the developers and through popular demand. This guarantees a fair, broad selection that should have something workable for everyone. Even if you can't get the perfect voiced name, you still get that bit of personality via a cute (or maybe goofy) little nickname that's just for Qiu and/or Tamarack. And, as a bonus, both your voiced name and voiced nickname can be used at once! There's no need to compromise and choose one or the other.
If you want to learn more, visit the GB Patch Twitter, Tumblr, or Patreon. And, if you haven't played Beginnings & Always or the Now & Forever Demo, what are you waiting for?? Pick them up at Itch.io or Steam right now!
I promise you won't regret stepping into the Patchverse. I'm at the end of my fourth (going on fifth) B&A playthrough as we speak! 🤭
That's all for now. Take care!